The invention relates to an ossicle prosthesis which replaces or spans at least one member of the human ossicle chain, in which the ossicle prosthesis, on at least one end, has a securing element, embodied as a first elastic clip, for mechanical connection with a member of the ossicle chain, which element is designed in the form of a clamp, open toward the outside on one side, with an outer opening for receiving this member, with which the mechanical connection is to be made, and in which the clamp after the implantation of the prosthesis form-lockingly embraces this member with two regions which are joined together, on their ends located diametrically opposite the outer opening, via a portion extending at a spacing from this member.
A prosthesis of this kind that spans the stapes has already been described in German Utility Model DE 202 12 771 U1 of the present Applicant.
Ossicle prostheses are used, when the ossicles of the human middle ear are entirely or partly absent or damaged, to transmit the sound from the eardrum to the inner ear. The ossicle prosthesis has two ends, and depending on the specific given conditions, one end of their ossicle prosthesis is secured, for instance by means of a head plate, to the extension of the incus in the human ossicle chain, and the other end of the ossicle prosthesis is secured for instance to the stapes of the human ossicle chain, or is plunged directly into the inner ear. Often with the known ossicle prostheses, conducting sound between the eardrum and the inner ear is made possible only to a limited extent, since these prostheses are only extremely limitedly capable of replacing the natural anatomical features of the ossicle chain.
An ossicle prosthesis, known from German Utility Model DE 296 09 687 U1 of the present Applicant, which is a “predecessor” model of the prosthesis described in DE 202 12 771 U1, is distinguished in that it can be relatively easily implanted by simply being clipped on the long process of the incus. It holds solely by the clamping action of the clip. No further securing means are necessary.
Nevertheless, in the course of implantation, tilting of the prosthesis can occur, which would make the operation more difficult for the surgeon. To overcome this problem, in the ossicle prosthesis known from DE 202 12 771 U1 first cited above, the clamp is lengthened with at least one of its legs, which protrudes past the opening outward in the form of an arc, with which the prosthesis can be suspended, before being slipped on, from the long process of the incus of the human middle ear. By thus suspending the prosthesis from the long process of the incus, the surgeon gains the capability of changing the surgical instruments and for instance using a small hook for slipping the prosthesis onto the long process of the incus.